Archive for June, 2013|Monthly archive page

As the days get hotter and longer, my body is craving cool, raw foods and I find myself drawn to raw kale & kelp noodle salads. This combo certainly works your jaw – both kale and kelp noodles are crunchy and chewy – but the longer you massage and marinate those 2 ingredients in lemon, salt, and a healthy fat like avocado, the more gentle this salad tastes and feels. I will admit that I’m still not totally sold on kelp noodles. I keep trying them in different capacities and I don’t know why. They add almost zero nutritional benefit and very little energy to a meal. Kelp noodles are popular with raw foodies well…b/c they are raw. But since eating raw is about maximizing the nutritional benefit of the food, perhaps raw foodies are just looking to experience a different texture while sticking to the rules of a raw food diet? Not sure, but I keep trying them out anyway.

The best part of this salad is the way the avocado, lemon, and salt make a creaming dressing for the kale and kelp noodles. Additional toppings are just icing. Try adding: mangos & sunflower seeds, tomatoes & hemp seeds, nectarines & pine nuts, or strawberries & sesame seeds. Pairing a sweet fruit with the bitter kale and salty-lemony avocado is a great balance for your palate and will leave you feeling more satisfied…i.e. not craving a dessert!

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, lacinato or dinosaur

1/2 large avocado

pink Himalayan salt

Meyer lemons, juiced (1 for salad, 1 for soaking noodles, if needed)

1/2 of a bag of kelp noodles, cut into smaller strands

Directions: I soak kelp noodles before using them b/c I like them a bit softer. Place in a bowl of water with juice of 1 lemon for 2 – 24hrs. When you are ready to use (soaked or not), cut the noodles into shorter strands using kitchen shears or a knife. Slice kale into skinny strips. Mash the avocado, salt, and lemon juice together. Add the kale to the mashed avocado and massage greens with your hands! After some good massaging, toss in the kelp noodles and massage more. Add diced mango and sunflower seeds. Mix well and enjoy. This salad holds up great for a couple of days in the fridge; however, keep in mind that other fruits may not hold up as well as mango.

These are brillant. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Reminiscent of a crepe but thicker and without the eggs! I had a bag of carrots that were getting old so I shredded them in the processor and then searched online for a yummy recipe to include them in. Original recipe here. I loved the recipe’s generous use of coconut milk and spelt flour which is lower in gluten than most wheat varieties. It just happened to be that the recipe was vegan and I was intrigued. I am always looking for ways to eat more plants and less animals. It feels better for the health of my body and better for the health of the earth.

Combine wet ingredients:

1.5 cups light coconut milk, canned

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 maple syrup

1 cup soy or almond milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups carrot, grated

Combine dry ingredients:

2.5 cups whole grain spelt flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 TBSP chia seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

Mix wet into dry and stir until just combined. Fry ’em up 🙂 You might need to use a lower heat than you are used to for frying pancakes as the outside seemed to cook a bit faster than the inside.

I loved the idea of this batter as a base for other variations so I experimented with subbing in some cornmeal for the spelt flour, shredded coconut for the carrots, and adding blueberries. A heartier texture but the same subtle sweetness. Delicious enough to eat plain or topped with nut butter.

Combine wet ingredients:

1.5 cups light coconut milk, canned

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 maple syrup

1 cup soy or almond milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened

Combine dry ingredients:

1.5 cups whole-grain spelt flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 TBSP chia seeds 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

I used a coarsely-ground cornmeal (b/c that was all I had) so they were a bit gritty but my kids still ate them 😉 The batter will be thicker due to the cornmeal and coconut but it thins out a bit on the griddle. Sprinkle blueberries on top and, again, you might need to use a lower heat so the inside cooks thoroughly. Really yummy the next day toasted with jam!